Raspberries 2011

I've neglected this blog completely, but I have kept track of my raspberries every year. It's just taken me forever to add them! Here's 2011's raspberries:

July 9   3/4 qt
July11   1 qt
July 12  3/4 qt
July 14  1 1/2 qt
July 15   3/4 qt
July 17  1 1/4 qt
July 19  3/4 qt
July 23  1/4 qt
July 25  1/8 qt

Very disappointing year! Only just over 7 quarts.

Raspberries 2010

This year has been raspberry madness. I started picking a full two weeks before the usual mid-July, then picked for nearly 3 weeks. Absolutely fantastic.

Here are my counts for this year:
June 30: 1/2 pt
July 2: 3/4 qt
July 3: 1 qt
July 5: 1.5 qt
July 7: 1 qt
July 8: 1 qt
July 9: 2 qt
July 12: 4 qt
July 13: 1.75 qt
July 14: 1 cup
July 15: 1 qt
July 17: 1 qt
July 19: 1/2 qt

So, about 16 quarts (a bit more when I think of how many we ate while we picked!). Crazy good year compared to last. Must be the early spring?

Raspberries

I am just about finished picking, though I may get a pint or two more in the next few days. I thought it might be interesting to keep track of my amounts from year to year. I know that I picked just over 10 quarts last year, but didn't keep track of the days. Here are this year's quantities:
7/15/09 43 berries (most of them straight into my mouth!)
7/16/09 1 cup
7/17/09 1.5 cups
7/18/09 1.5 cups
7/19/09 3 cups
7/20/09 2.5 cups
7/21/09 2 cups
7/23/09 2 quarts
7/24/09 1.5 quarts
7/26/09 1 quart
7/27/09 1 quart
7/28/09 3 cups
7/30/09 2 cups
8/1/09 2 cups
8/4/09 1.5 cups

So if my math is correct, we got just over 10.5 quarts this year. Considering all the rain we had, I think that's pretty good. (Wondering if the rain was actually good for them? Anyone experience this?)

Raspberry Canes

The leaves are starting to come out on the raspberries! I've had some help putting in more permanent supports for the canes this spring. We are trying to bring some order to these wild and crazy berries that want to take over the garden. Two rows this year, maybe another next, but we're training them along the wires and I'm transplanting or pulling everything that strays out of those rows. We may not get as many berries this year, but I hope in the future we'll get more, as it's much easier to tend them when they are not clumped together as closely.

Hard to look at these and imagine that a little over two months they will be heavy with fruit. Can't wait!